November Gardening Tips and To-do List by Planting Zone and Region

Gardeners miss their gardens when the weather is cool, but we also enjoy the rest. If you're dreading the long winter, the good news is there’s still more to do.

You’ve come to the right place if you are wondering what you should be doing around your garden during November.

I’m going to share with you the gardening tasks you may need to attend to this month by zone and region.

This should help you cross-reference your needs and give the ultimate care to your garden as you’re preparing for colder months.

Here are your November gardening tips to do around your garden:

Garden Chores by Planting Zone

Zone Three

Have you had smaller amounts of rain in your zone? Before the ground freezes solid, use this time to water the trees and shrubs thoroughly.

Take the time this month to check any potatoes, garlic, or onions you may have stored in your root cellar. Be sure to check them for any signs of rot as this could spread and ruin other foods you’re saving for use this winter.

This is also an excellent time to take care of any of your power and garden tools. Be sure to clean, sharpen, and make any repairs to them before storage.

Be sure you store them in a place where they’ll be protected from the elements of winter. Also, clean up any birdhouses you’re planning on leaving out over the winter.

Fill them with food to help out any birds your area survive this cold season.

Zone Four

Now is the time to clean up your garden thoroughly. Go through and make sure all debris is removed from the garden areas.

This will make it difficult for any pests or diseases to find a spot to overwinter in your garden.

Take the time to care for any new trees you may have recently planted. Their bark isn’t tough enough to survive elements this zone provides.

Therefore, wrap the trunks to protect the bark over the winter months.

When the first snow and ice storms hit, avoid the temptation to remove snow and ice from your wintergreen shrubs and trees.

You may cause more damage trying to remove these elements from the plants than if they’re allowed to stay.

While caring for your trees this month, be sure to go around your fruit trees and clean up any fruit which may be lying beneath them.

This should be your last month to cut the grass. When giving your lawn the final cut for the year, be sure to cut it short.

If you don’t, the grass could mold beneath the wet snow this winter which can harm your lawn.

Take this month to care for your perennials. Wait until the ground freezes fully. When it has, add mulch to cover the perennials wholly.

This will stop them from going through the constant cycle of freezing and thawing which can cause damage to the plant.

The final thing you should do this month to care for your garden is to show care to your compost pile. Give it a turn and see if it feels dry.

If it does, add some water to the compost pile and work it in. This will help get your garden off to a proper start the next growing season.

Zone Five

Do you enjoy growing your own garlic? November is the month to plant garlic if you live in zone five. After planting the garlic be sure to cover the bed with six inches of mulch.

November is also the month to finish harvesting any remaining root veggies which are still in the ground.

You may not be aware, but some people grow their own Christmas trees. If you’re planning on doing this, be sure to go ahead and dig the holes where you plan on planting the tree or trees.

If you don’t do this now, the ground will be too frozen to dig the hole later.

Finally, take care of your perennials this month. Any perennials, which isn’t a spring flower, rose, or a grassy plant, should be cut back to only two to three inches tall.

However, your roses should be pruned to where they’re approximately one foot tall. Add compost to the base of the plant and put a rose cone around it to protect the plant from the harsh winter.

Zone Six

Fall is upon you in zone six, and you’ve probably noticed an increase in leaves around your property. Use this month to get them cleaned up before winter hits.

Be sure to pay attention to your perennials this month. They should be cut back to where they’re only two to three inches in height. The exception for this is roses, mums, and any spring flowers. Leave them be.

Zone Seven

If you’re in zone seven, you still have a few things you can be doing or preparing for November.

Be sure to protect your crops before a hard freeze taking place. Crops such as lettuce, spinach, chives, and parsley will need to be covered if you’re expecting them to be able to survive a freeze.

Though freezing temperatures will come in this month, you still have time to plant. You can plant any trees, shrubs, or strawberry plants this month.

Use this time also to collect any leaves which may have fallen around your property. They make an excellent mulch for your garden beds, or they can be added to your compost pile as well, or use them for fall decoration inside the house.

Zone Nine

Cold weather is beginning to set in, even in zone nine. Tomatoes don’t handle cold weather well, but you may notice the plants are still producing and some of the fruit is still green.

Well, don’t lose your tomatoes. Instead, pull the tomato plants up by the roots, hang them indoors and wait until the tomatoes ripen before plucking the fruit and discarding the plant.

November is also a great time to plant garlic and onions in this zone. Be sure to protect your lettuce and spinach crops as the cool weather moves in. They should be covered when the temperatures drop.

Harvest any remaining cabbage, broccoli, carrots, turnips, and kale you have remaining. Wait until after the first frost because the frost will help the harvest be all the sweeter in flavor.

Use the time you have this month to add compost around the base of your citrus trees. Also, plant wildflowers this month.

You will need to toss the seeds out into an opening or bed. Once they’ve been dispersed, rake soil over the seeds.

Zone Ten

Zone ten is hopping during November. It’s a time of great growth, harvest, but also a time to protect from the elements as well.

You should be harvesting beans, squash, any fruit, carrots, cucumbers, peas, lettuce, and kale. When harvesting fruit, be sure to clean-up any fruit which may have fallen to deter pests and diseases from hanging out around your fruit trees or plants.

Though you’re harvesting some plants, this is still the proper time to start more plants. Keep starting tomato and pepper plants.

However, be sure you keep an eye on the weather and be prepared to protect these plants if a cold-snap is near.

Be sure to prune your raspberry bushes this month and give the necessary attention to the amount of rain your crops are receiving.

Your garden should get one inch of rain per week whether it be from rainfall or you watering the garden. In the event of a freeze, be sure you water the soil and not the plants themselves.

Also, be sure to cover the plants during a freeze with either straw, mulch, a row cover, or even a large sheet.

Garden Chores by Region

Southwest Region

Keep watering your plants; dry plants are more easily damaged during a freeze than well-watered and nourished plants

Protect citrus trees from frost

Remove leaves from your yard; add to compost, use as mulch, but certainly remove from your lawn to protect it from a mold